, 1887-10-23
TOUCHED HARD PAN.
Prices for Cattle Still Have a
Downward Tendency.
Buyers Seem to Have Every
thing Their Own Way.
The Demand for Choice Stock
is Greatly Diminished
Prices Away Down.
Special Dispatch to THE LEADER.

SbSNANA "keN " @+1
CHICAGO, Oct. 22.-Prices for cattle
have suffered another shrinkage. They
are lower all around and of all the very
dull markets experienced during the pres
ent season few have been more thoroughly
stupid and more generally unsatisfactory
than that Of the present week. Trade
started OF with receipts somewhat below
the recent average and the general feel
ing rather firm. Good to best grades were
salable at a small advance and even com-
mon to medium sorts we're fully steady.
The better tone, however, was extremely
short lived. Eastern advices we're not of
an encouraging character, and the export
demand is pretty nearly lifeless. Then ar
rivals began to pile up. Supplies almost
equalled the largest runs of the year, and
were so overwhelmingly in excess of re
q%uirements that buyers were practically in
a position to make their own terms, so far
as prices were concerned.
The movements of all grades was ex-
~ceedingly slow, and quotations were off
anywhere from 8 to 20 cents, once more
passing below what was supposed to be
bedrock. There was an abundance of
good cattle in the sale pens and oceans of
common lots. The very choicest of the
offerings could be moved-moved slowly
at 5 and 10 cents decline, which a little
more than wiped out the early advance.
Less desirable sorts, which had made no
previous gain. were not taken freely at a
reduction of Is and 20 cents from last
weeks figures. From this there may
have been a slight recovery, but it was
very slight. On one of the closing days
there was a sale at $40; it would have
reflected the market just as much had the
price been s $40.
Common to strictly choice steers can be
had at S3,00@475, and purchases for
shipment on the hoof are chiefly at So. 40
GA. 40. Fancy beeves only bring over
So. Such stock as must sell in COMPETE
ton with the better class of rangers is
especially dull. Another description for
which it is impossible to get satisfactory
prices is the 500 to LOO pound cattle.
For that sort there have been very few
orders here recently. Hardy l,l50 10
1850 steers still receive most attention
and sell relatively higher than other kinds.
Cattle that sell around SO are both rough
and lean, but there are a good many of
that sort. For common grass cattle the
outlook cannot be said to favor any i'm
provement at present in view of the con
tinued heavy run of rangers.
Native butchers stock is dull and heavy.
Supplies of common stuff are large and
statesmen are bothered to dispose of their
holdings even at shaded prices. The
plentifulness of range stock is a dead
weight on this branch of the market and
country shippers would do well to bear
the fact in mind. Plenty of canning ma
terial is on hand fresh from the ranges
and only the most desirable butchers
stock is marketable. Hence lean old COWS
and superanuated bulls may still be had at
81. 25(0l.50, and very decent ones at
81. 1920 0 with good to choice $2.25@
2 rs.
Stockers and feeders are attracting more
attention than recently. Stockers are
selling at about former quotations, but
feeders are 100 l5c lower. That there is
money in stock cattle at railing figures is
universally conceded, but a lack of feed
blunts the demand.
Rangers, like shipping grades, started
out buoyantly, but after the middle ofthe
week fell 10 and 20 cents, Western show
ing the most marked change. Large u D
plies did it. The quality IS generally
pretty good but there are too many OF
them. and buyers come pretty near hav-
ing things their own way. Early in the
week some fine Montanas brought 81. rs
the highest figure yet paid. Receipts
from Texas are falling off a little, but this
is more than offset by the rush of West
erns, aud for the next two weeks at least
no improvement is looked for.